


Long Time Coming

by lonelywalker



Category: Brothers & Sisters
Genre: Jossed, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-04-18
Updated: 2011-04-18
Packaged: 2017-10-18 08:10:55
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,038
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/186789
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lonelywalker/pseuds/lonelywalker
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Saul doesn't miss Henry. No, not even a little. Uh-uh. Definitely not.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Long Time Coming

There is no way in the world he should be feeling like this.

His seventieth birthday within touching distance, back in a suit and behind a desk, and trying desperately to prove to everyone that he's by far the most professional member of his dysfunctional family, Saul Holden still can't get sex off his mind.

Henry's been gone for two weeks, a length of time that had seemed insignificant when Henry had first brought up the possibility of a business trip to New York, and then taking a few days to visit his father in Maryland. Saul had known that he would be busy beyond belief at Ojai, wrestling with the books, looking out for Ryan, trying to survive caught between Sarah and Holly. He'd expected that he'd barely have time to even think of Henry.

Instead, he hasn't been able to think of anything else.

Two days went by until he cornered Ryan in the office and made him explain exactly how to navigate Facebook. In Henry's profile picture, he's smiling at the camera, longish hair mussed under a baseball cap, biceps straining at the sleeves of a black t-shirt. Saul's seen hundreds of photos of Henry by now, but they've never had quite so much significance before.

It's only one more day before, driven by a need to connect that outweighs his embarrassment, he shoots off a two-word email: _Miss you._ And that evening he's in bed, cradling the phone between his shoulder and ear, as Henry makes him come – and come _hard_ \- from thousands of miles away.

The next day, though, Saul only misses him more.

He tries to logically work his way through his feelings, all the while snapping at everyone who disturbs him, from Rebecca politely inquiring about marketing materials to Kitty asking if he and Henry wouldn't mind babysitting Evan.

How on earth had "Saul and Henry" become an indivisible object so quickly in the minds of everyone they knew? Surely the family would have regarded a new girlfriend of Justin's with a tad more skepticism? Nora certainly hadn't welcomed Kevin's casual flings with open arms. They're all so damned _happy_ for him, now. It's only been, what? Not even a year. They're not married. They're not living together. But all of the invitations for family occasions are addressed to both of them, now. Henry is included in all of the family's rambling circular emails. Saul can't get through a conversation with anyone – not even Tommy, calling from Mexico, who has never even _met_ the man – asking about Henry.

Of course Saul likes being with him. Of course the sex is wonderful and the conversations even better than that. Of course he enjoys the companionship, knowing someone who is always ready to drop everything to go to a concert with him, who will hold him as they go to sleep and still be there the next morning, mussed and adorable amid rumpled sheets.

But… two weeks. It's only two weeks. Less than that, now. He has plenty to do, especially since his mind keeps wandering. Every time he glances at his desk there seem to be new stacks of reports. The accounts must be breeding.

"I shouldn't be feeling this way," he tells Kevin over the phone that evening, nursing a whisky glass in an attempt to relax, to somehow dismiss these feelings of pure _anger_ that anyone could influence his mood so completely. "It's not normal. It's affecting my work…"

He can almost sense Kevin rolling his eyes. "You're in love, Saul. It might not be normal for _you_ , but it's perfectly normal for the rest of us. Henry's a great guy. I'd be worried if you weren't missing him. Wouldn't you think it was weird if Scotty went on a trip and I didn't even call him?"

"That's different," Saul argues. "You and Scotty are _married_. You live together. You have shared commitments. Henry and I… Well, of course we love each other, but it's… casual. We're both far too old to be pining like teenagers and checking our Facebook pages every five minutes. I don't even know _how_ to send one of those text message things."

Kevin's sigh is very much audible. "Then maybe you should learn. Saul, I know casual. _Believe me_ , I know casual. And you and Henry adore each other. You're allowed to pine like teenagers once in a while. You're allowed to need him."

"I don't need him." The very idea seems absurd. "I've been absolutely fine on my own for over sixty-five years, Kevin…"

"Right. And you're calling me because you're absolutely fine sitting at home alone drinking?"

Their conversation ends shortly afterwards, with Saul blaming an imaginary pot on the stove. He pours himself another drink, mainly to prove Kevin wrong, and resolutely does not pull up Facebook or try to fiddle with his cellphone. If Henry wants to talk to him, Henry knows his number. Saul doesn't need him. Doesn't need anyone to talk to, and certainly not someone who might talk him into mindblowing phone sex for the second time in less than a week.

"Hi," he says to Henry, almost breathless with anticipation by the time he picks up.

"Hey baby." The smile on Henry's face is evident, even from thousands of miles away. "I was just about to call you. How is everything back in LA?"

Perhaps it's the alcohol talking, perhaps Kevin's arguments finally doing the trick: "I was thinking about flying out to Baltimore. Maybe you could show me around? Introduce me to your family? If I wouldn't be getting in the way…"

He really is babbling like an overly eager teenager (or a slightly drunk senior citizen), but Henry doesn't seem to mind. "Of course, we'd love to see you. I'd love to see you. I've missed you, Saulie. So very much. But won't your office mind? I thought you were completely bogged down with work."

"I was," he admits. "I am. But I'll straighten everything out with Holly in the morning before I leave. What's important is that I'm all yours, Henry. Body and soul."

Henry chuckles. "I quite like the sound of that."

And, for the first time in his life, Saul does too.


End file.
